BANGLADESHI MYSTIC SINGERS ARE FACING ISLAMIST BACKLASH

Sufi singer Jamal has spent decades devoted to his craft but now fears for his future as hardline Islamists gain ground in post-revolution Bangladesh.

- SHEIKH SABIHA ALAM

Conservative Muslim groups regard Sufism as deviant, opposing its mystical interpretation of the Koran.

The movement is highly popular in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, but followers say they have faced unprecedented threats since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year following a mass uprising.

Hasina took a tough stand against Islamist movements during her autocratic 15-year rule, and since her ouster, Islamist groups have become emboldened, with security forces stretched.

At least 40 Sufi shrines have come under attack in the past few months, according to official figures, with vandalism, arson and other violence linked to Islamist hardliners.

Other estimates put the number at twice as high.

Musical performances, once a mainstay at Sufi shrines, have sharply declined.

"It’s been difficult for the last one-and-a-half decades but after Aug 5 things have deteriorated significantly," said Jamal, on the sidelines of a musical gathering at a centuries-old shrine in Dhaka.

"We used to perform in 40 programmes per season but now it's down to 20 due to resistance from some people," added the 50-year-old.